Ditching-machine



En sra'rns Barni oratori.

W. Y. SINGLETON, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

DITCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 4,535, dated May 28, 1846.

T0 all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Y. SINGLE- TON, of Springfield, in thecounty of Sanga- Inon and State of Illinois, have invented a new anduseful Machine for Ditching and Embanking, which is described asfollows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, makingpart of this specification, of which- Figure l is a perspective view ofthe machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.

I construct a suitable frame A composed of horizontal parallellongitudinal timbers united by transverse connecting timbers mortisedand tenoned into the same, or otherwise secured; said frame being placedupon a horizontal transverse axle B supported by two common cart wheelsC for carrying the frame and its appendages hereafter described. In thisframe I arrange an inclined trough D whose lower end, which comes incontact with the ground, is made (in its cross section) the shape of therequired ditch to be cut, and sufficiently sharp to cut the ground, saidtrough being designed to receive the earth when cut. The earth isconveyed through this trough by a number of right angled conveyers Efastened to an endless revolving belt F (turning over three revolvingdrums G G G2 propelled by said belt F and bands H, H, leading aroundpulleys I on the axle B and around pulleys J on the outer ends of theaxle K of the drum G. f are projections or cogs on the face of the bandnext the periphery of the drum designed to fit into correspondingdepressions g, in the drum to prevent the band from slipping. Theaforesaid inclined trough is extended in length until its upper endreaches a level above an endless train of cars, onto which the earthfrom it is directed from said trough by dropping the bottom so as toform a chute cl.

The band F to which the conveyers E are fastened in passing through thetrough is retained in a parallel line with the bottom of the trough Dand prevented from rising (by the pressure of the earth in the trough)by a number of guide rollers L arranged so as to touch the band and keepit in its place having a circular groove in the middle of the same toallow the cogs f on the strap to pass through without touching therollers. The axles of these guide rollers and of the drums G G2 turn intwo inclined parallel sideboards or cheeks M held together by transverseparallel rounds N, let into the same. vOn the outside of each of thesecheeks is fastened an inclined rib or projection 0 to which, and thebottom edges of the cheeks M, the aforesaid trough is bolted. This rib oand a button 79 turning on aV pin inserted into the upright a of theframe when brought against the rib serves to hold the excavatingapparatus firmly during the oper ation. As the aforesaid excavatingtrough is designed to cut the ditch by degrees and consequently musthave its cutting Vedge let down to a lower level for each cut, it isprovided with a rack Q formed on a bar Q2 fastened longitudinally to thebottom of the trough and geared to a pinion R on the axle of two toothedwheels S by which the pinion is turned for raising and lowering thetrough and holding it at the desired position by means of a lock bar Tconnected to the frame and brought against the teeth of the wheels S.Then it is desired to depress the cutter to a lower level the buttons Pmust be turned, the lock bar T removed and the toothed wheels T turnedin the direction of the arrow as far as desired. The lock bar is i thenreplaced in its former position against the teeth of the wheels S andthe buttons turned down hard against the ribs which will hold the troughfirmly in the required position. Vhen the trough D descends the drums GG2 also descend.

The lower end of the trough is held firmly in the desired position by astrongv stirrup V, fastened to the frame and embracing the trough andrack bar-the latter resting firmly in said stirrup.

As the earth is cut by the lower end of the aforesaid inclined trough itis immediately struck by the revolving right angled conveyers E andconveyed up the inclined trough to the upper end thereof, from whence itdescends over the inclined chute CZ toa-n inclined endless train of carsV arranged transversely and at right angles to y the frame A, by whichthe earth is conveyed to its place of destination for forming theembankment or other purposes. This endless train of cars is constructedin the following' manner.

It consists of an endless llO tion of the train of cars and the changeof position of the conveyers. To this endless belt are fastened a seriesof parallel axles y each of which carrying a pair of flanged Wheels .ewhich turn upon and against the said endless Ways b (represented in Figlby dotted lines).

To the portion of the endless belt over each axle are fastened a pair ofright angled plates c forming sides for the cars for holding the earthupon the belt until discharged therefrom in passing around the curvedends of the Ways.

The' gravity of the earth discharged from the trough upon the endlesstrain of cars causes them to descend over the Ways and in turning overand against the curved ends (which are brought over the place ofdeposit) they discharge their loads and return empty along the undersides of the Ways b and around the upper, or curved ends thereof, toreceive the earth from the conveyers. Y

The machine is guided in its progress forward by a Wheel w and axle 0and crank 7 and regulated, as to depth of cutting, by a screw 'L' nut 7cand lever Z. By turning the handle Z to the right or left the steeringWheel 'w is also turned; and by turning the nut Z to the right on thetopy of the lever Z the screw is raisedwhich also raises the front endof the frame and the cutter of the inclined trough.

The cutter may form part of the conveying trough as above described, orit may be made in a separate piece and be attached to the trough.

The machine may be propelled by animal or other power. When horses oroxen are used they are geared to the front part of the frame, or to anyconvenient place.

What I claim as my invention and Which I desire to secure by LettersPatent is- The combination of the adjustable inclined trough andexcavator and revolving endless belt of conveyers Working thereon forcutting and conveying the earth arranged and operated in the mannerbefore described, `or other mode substantially the same, with thecarriage for supporting and carrying the same.V

W. Y. SINGLEToN.

Witnesses WM. P. ELLIOT, ALBERT E, H. JOHNSON.

